Rugby Union

Five changes: the coach of the XV of France Jacques Brunel has reshuffled Wednesday a third of his starting team, against Italy Friday (21H00) in Marseille in the tournament of the six nations, out of necessity after the exclusion of several players and the wish to play the competition.

The center of the XV of France Mathieu Bastareaud is uncertain for the reception of Italy Friday in the Six Nations Tournament in Marseille, where the coach Jacques Brunel should start on a wing Rémy Grosso rather than Virimi Vakatawa.

Five days under high tension: engulfed in a series of black results and extra-sporting gaps, the XV of France avoids the hurry before receiving Italy Friday in Marseille, a sort of „final“ to avoid the wooden spoon in the Six Nations Tournament.

The players of the XV of France, including Teddy Thomas and Louis Picamoles, released after the defeat in Scotland (32-26) Sunday in the Six Nations Tournament, were excluded from the group held to face Italy on February 23 in Marseille, announced Tuesday the coaching.

It’s starting to be long: against Ireland a breath of a victory sought for a year, the XV of France moves Sunday (16:00) in Scotland on the second day of the Six Nations Tournament to break this series black , led by the returning Lionel Beauxis.

A revenant and two other retouches: the coach of the XV of France Jacques Brunel has started Friday to face Scotland in the Sunday Tournament six nations opener Lionel Beauxis, six years after his last selection. This is one of three changes to the opening defeat against Ireland.

Will the change have borne fruit? The XV of France enters the Tournament of Six Nations, Saturday (5.45 pm) against Ireland at the Stade de France with a new coach, Jacques Brunel, called to the rescue to try to stop, in a few weeks, an infernal spiral of defeats .

The new coach of the XV of France, Jacques Brunel, on Thursday inaugurated a hinge composed of Maxime Machenaud and the young opener Matthieu Jalibert, 19 years old and who has no selection, to start the tournament of six nations, Saturday against the Ireland at the Stade de France.

Searches were under way Tuesday morning at the headquarters of the French Rugby Federation in Marcoussis (Essonne) as part of an investigation into suspicion of favoritism directed at its president Bernard Laporte, AFP learned from sources close to the case, confirming information from the team.